Hidden Mickeys

In looking for a Disneyland Guide, we came across this gem in the bookstore. Apparently the Disney folks have found ingenious ways of incorporating the Mickey ears in unusual areas through out the parks. The book tells you right where some are, the rest are set up like a scavenger hunt. We passed it over but then Ryan asked about it a few days later. So now it's ours--or more actually Ryan's. In addition to having every ride plotted out (thanks to the Disneyland Map from Grandma and Grandpa) Ryan has also plotted out where he will find the Hidden Mickeys. Ask him, he'll tell you. So I envision a day where he and Daddy will go searching--Greg can geocache and Ryan can find his Mickeys. I am hoping he'll take his camera so he can catalog them. Just two more days!

PKI with the Gauls (79 photos), by sara repasy

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Biannaul Ick and a trip to the ER

About twice a year I get a cold/flu that knocks me on my butt. Sore throat--think swallowing razorblades, body aches, congestion and headache. I started Sat night at work with a sore throat--I thought from swallowing the gallons of phlegm my body was producing. Motrin and lots of water and I knuckled through. Woke up Sunday and felt flat awful. Called in sick with plans to see the doc on Monday. Again would knuckle through with Motrin and Zyrtec D. I hate urgent cares. Took a Vicodin (bad nurse) left over from an ankle injury two years ago so I could get more than 2 hours of sleep with some pain relief. Woke up every two hours anyway because I needed a sip of water. Got up at 7:30, went to the kichen got lightheaded nearly passed out and went back to bed. Called Greg back from work. It was an awful feeling. I was scared. I couldn't have driven anywhere and I was in no shape to take care of the kids. Do you know how many times you need to swallow? And it hurt like hell every time. The doctor office line was busy the three times I called. Off to the ER. I can't swallow because it makes me want to cry--I'm spitting in a rag. Get to the ER and with a modest wait fom waiting room to doc, get an IV on the bottom of my frickin wrist again--I have NO veins-, morphine, zofran, solumedrol and 50 mg of benadryl. Declined the EKG-all i can see is dollar signs for something I don't need--I was just waiting for them to come in and tell me I needed one--NO--I know my patient rights!!! Looking back I must have been really dehydrated. Because I couldn't swallow without immense pain, I was only sipping and only when my mouth got too dry.

If you ever have to go to Kettering ER--Dr. Ray was awesome. Anyway, have a white count of 17000. They're out of rapid strep so we can't tell if it's viral or bacterial. Am sent home with Penicilin and a prednisone dose pack. The pain is better, still hurts and I am able to eat with just a little wincing. Greg must have noticed me swaying--the morphine and benadryl really like to hang on--and he sent me to bed--where I slept until 5 pm. To say I feel like a new person would be an understatement. I am able to talk now and for about 2 hours my energy was good. I'm starting to feel drained again, but thank goodness I was able to get treated. How do single moms do this??

Kings Island

Yesterday we went to King's Island as part of a celebration for Megan's Miranda's eighth birthday. We got there after 1 and left after 10. Needless to say, everyone except Greg (poor guy) slept in today. Ryan and Charlotte rode everything they could and loved all of it. We pretty much walked the whole 9 hours. It started out rainy and then stopped though we didn't actually get sun until dinnertime. Since there were four grown ups to trade kid duty, the we got to ride some big people stuff. I talked Megan into the Delerium--a Level 5 thrill ride, please see http://www.pki.com/attractions/detail.cfm?ai_id=154 and yes the thirteen stories up certainly felt accurate. It was awesome for the first minute and then it actually got scary. We were up so high and moving so fast all you could feel was the wind hitting you and listen to it screech by. I peaked an eye open a few times at the very top of the arc and then just prayed. It was awful for about thirty seconds. And thenit ruined every ride for the rest of the night. Even the loopy stuff at Coney made my stomach swirl. Eeesh. But we did it--and won't do it again. It was nice being able to ride Whitewater Canyon too. So going with other grownups has its perks. The kids were out before the interstate--and so was I:)

Summertime

Kids have been out of school for a little over a week and we are starting to settle into a routine. It is very liberating not to have to be somewhere at 9 am or 3 pm unless we want to. We have easy days with a trip to the coffeeshop (usually), a daily bike ride, watering flowers, reading. They have quiet time around 2 (I can do homeowrk) and a movie at 3 if I have to work (this way I can get my nap). It has all worked out well. The only issue seems to be there constant proximity to one another. I suppose they have gotten used to being apart for 6 hours a day while school is in so the all day contact with one other wears on their nerves (and mine). Ryan wants a say in where we go and do and gets sulky if he doesn't get his way. We are re-visiting "meetings" and no tattle-tailing--again a result of constant proximity. Greg bought us season passses to King's Island and we have already been once. The kids can ride most everything and love roller coasters. There are a few rides where I like to keep a hand on Charlotte but she insists she is fine. Ryan rode The Beast for the first time and declared he didn't like it. It is quite jerky.

We went to Ikea a few days ago and Entertrainment Junction. On the way I had to get coffee so I pulled off. After getting my life-saving drink (I had worked the night before) Ryan recognised where we were and insisted we turn long before the GPS said to. It actually put me back on the interstate. So after a minute of driving, I turned the car around and went the way he suggested--and he was right. Brilliant and now validated child:)

We are re-connecting with friends as they have finished up with their schooling. The Greene is a favorite haunt of ours--Ryan likes the fountains, I like to sit and read and Charlotte usually ends up sitting next to me so I don't read at all. There are many free, pretty and wet places to play so I look forward to some good times with the kids. School is on-going--aiming to be done next Spring. The informatics dept is looking to expand alot this summer so I hope to be in a new position before summer's end (keep your fingers crossed!). Kids are back to school August 19--sigh.

Holding hands

As I've been walking Ryan to school these past weeks, I have noticed how big his hand has felt in mine. Maybe because it's the end of the school year and I am nostalgic anyway, how his hand feels in mine has been a distraction.
I held his hand as a baby, amazed at how little his hand was in my palm. As a toddler I held his hand for safety in parking lots, having to close my hand more to keep his secure. I remember him trying to twist away from my hand when he was angry with me. Now my heart leaps when he voluntarily takes my hand as we are walking along. For him, demonstrating affection is more rare and precious. The tips of his fingers would meet the edge of my palm, now they curl around it. His growth has been so much more than physical and holding his hand shows me how much he has grown. "I know, Mom" he says.
He quietly accepts my hand as we walk and sometimes I feel he is humoring me. I still need it. Hopefully, for awhile, he will too.

Every Sunday

Every Sunday should be like this Sunday. First, and maybe most importantly..I got to sleep in..until 9:20. This never happens. Up, eat, talk Greg out of bike ride (too cold). But he's rearing to do something, so he starts yardwork. I feel guilty, so I start work on the back porch. At the end of the yard work stretch, the lawn is mowed, front and back. The back patio is clean--it really does look nice and it has warmed up. Greg grills burgers and hot dogs for lunch after making a Kroger run for Stewart's orange cream (Ryan's favorite) and some grape soda (my favorite)--for some reason this tastes so good after yard work! We are all relaxed, Ryan is happy--he got to help grill. We also found a frog and 2 bunnies in the back yard. Charlotte rehoused some earthworms that were under the kids basketball hoop and held the frog.

We just have to go to Kettering for Trader Joe's run and to drop off a Little Tikes car for Levi. Playtime for kids at the Kuperman's. AJ and I check out an open house next door. Awesome room size, (great neighbors:), but hasn't been cosmetically updated in many many decades--read exposed insulation and scary dark basement. On the way we just have to stop and get some Coldstone. Did I mention it was gorgeous out at this point? And everyone is happy. I mean just relaxed and happy.

We get home and squeeze in a bike ride. Charlotte gets to use her new Camelbak--it's pink. Beautiful ride in Yellow Springs along a converted bike path. It still shows up on maps (on my iPhone!!) as a railroad. So Ryan and I played "what kind of train would you drive here" on the way home. We saw Young's in the distance which really helped the kids get an idea of how far we went. Lots of Honeysuckle in bloom. Charlotte insisted it was Daddy's turn to pull her on the trailer bike--my turn next time. On the drive to the bike tril Charlotte was talking about how she wanted to be a "mommy that stayed home" when she grew up so her "children would never be sad when she would go to work" Just twist the knife a little more sweetie.

Home, late dinner then promised smores over the fire out back. Showers, books and bed. The kids are out in 5 minutes. Fun, happy Sunday.